"Girls," Susan said with a wide smile, clapping her hands together, "tonight is going to be the hottest night ever. After our performance, I'm going to meet a lot of people, have fun, and make even more money."
"Susan!" Angela called, her expression tightening. "We're going there to dance, not for anything else. I really don't know how to keep convincing you that we are not anyone sluts."
Susan shrugged carelessly.
"We're bar dancers," she replied. "And as for me, I'm a sex worker. I need to earn more money."
"Gosh, aren't you ashamed of saying that?" Jane and Karen asked at the same time.
"Ashamed?" Susan laughed loudly, as if the idea itself was ridiculous.
"We're all the same," she continued. "We dance at parties. Don't act like you're any different."
Angela's chest tightened, but she forced herself to stay calm.
"It's not the same," she said quietly but firmly. "You can choose your life however you want but be careful. I thought we were doing this just to survive… to earn a decent living. Life didn't give us many choices, but that doesn't mean we lose ourselves."
Her voice softened, though her eyes glistened with unshed tears.
"Well, enough of this," Jane said quickly, trying to ease the tension. "Let's get dressed and go."
Soon, Angela and her team arrived at the venue.
It was indeed a big show.
The place was filled with lights, loud music, and a large crowd. The energy in the room was electric.
When Angela stepped onto the stage, all eyes turned to her.
She danced beautifully, gracefully, confident, and captivating. The audience couldn't take their eyes off her.
By the time the performance ended, the applause was overwhelming.
People praised her, admired her, and couldn't stop talking about her performance.
Afterward, Angela and her team returned to their seats to enjoy the party.
"I'll be back," Angela said with a small smile as she stood up and headed toward the restroom.
Inside the restroom, she washed her hands and lifted her gaze to the mirror.
For a moment, she just stared at herself.
Her expression slowly changed.
Is this really the life I want? she wondered.
She looked tired.
Lost.
Confused.
Suddenly, she felt a tap on her shoulder, she flinched slightly and turned around.
Her eyes widened in shock.
Chris.
"What…?" she whispered, completely surprised. Does he come to places like this? And… What is he doing in the ladies' restroom?
"Chris?" she said, forcing a small smile, though confusion filled her mind. Has he been stalking me? Or is this just a coincidence?
"You look beautiful," he said softly, stepping closer.
Angela instinctively stepped back.
"I love the way you dance," he added, smiling as he gently tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear.
Angela's back touched the wall behind her.
"Okay… thank you," she said quickly, trying to stay calm. "I need to go."
She tried to move past him. But he grabbed her arm and pulled her back slightly.
Up close, she could smell the alcohol on his breath. He was drunk.
"Chris, you're drunk," she said, her voice firm but controlled. "We'll talk in school tomorrow."
She tried to leave again, but he stepped closer, too close before she could react, he leaned in, attempting to kiss her.